Tag Archives: popeyes

I know companies like to strive for diversity, and showcasing minorities in commercials is an easy way to achieve this, but I officially would like to let the fried chicken people off the hook.

You no longer need to feature Black people. Honestly, we know what you serve and there is no threat of mass Black vegetarianism. How about pursuing that growing Latino market? You see, there are two food groups which have been ridiculously linked to Black folks : watermelons and fried chicken. Both of these foods are of Southern origin. Back during slavery, slaves were fed such high end cuisine as the feet and intestines of pigs, tails of cows, and greens growing wild. Understandably, when foods of higher quality were given or obtained by slaves, they were consumed with great enthusiasm. Thus, I suspect that the stereotype of Blacks having some kind of maddening love with watermelons and fried chicken simply developed during observations of these ‘luxury’ items being consumed. Of course, as Blacks migrated North, they carried their accustomed cuisine taste with them, further supporting the stereotype amongst Northern Whites.

What’s always struck me as strange is that Southern Whites love fried chicken a great deal, and almost every household in the South knows how to make it. So, all of these chicken franchises must be making the bulk of their money from Northern Whites. When it comes down to it, everyone loves fried chicken. Nonetheless, I, like many other Blacks, feel slightly uncomfortable with the topic of fried chicken in public. I won’t even eat it around other Whites. Which takes be back to these commercials. Every time I see one on TV, it makes me cringe just a little inside. Dave Chapelle explains it best. Black people eating burgers…sure. Tacos?….great. But fried chicken…please someone change the channel.